TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (45-48) and Washington Nationals (47-45), who share their Spring Training complex together in West Palm Beach, FL, will play the middle game of their three-game series in the nation’s capital tonight.
RHP Tatsuya Imai (5-4, 6.14 ERA) will get the start for the Astros, his 13th of the season, and the first of his career against the Nationals, who will counter with LHP Andrew Alvarez (2-1, 3.05 ERA).
ABOUT IMAI: RHP Tatsuya Imai joined the Astros this offseason as free
agent signing out of Japan. He’s made 12 MLB starts this year, in which the Astros have gone 7-5, around a month-long IL stint (April 13-May 10).
He’s flashed brilliance at times, including three starts with nine-plus strikeouts, and 6.0 innings of no-hit ball in the Astros no-hitter on May 25 at TEX.
ELIAS SAYS: Between the Astros and Nationals, last night’s game featured at least one one-run, two-run, three-run, four-run, five-run and six-run inning. There has been one other game this season in which this oddity occurred (Rockies-Athletics in Las Vegas on June 14). In club history, the Astros were involved in two previous such games: May 6, 1979 at CIN and May 16, 2008 at TEX.
ASTROS ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have recalled RHP Alimber Santa from Triple A Sugar Land today. Following last night’s game, the club optioned RHP Mike Burrows to Triple A.
ALL-STAR ALVAREZ: DH Yordan Alvarez has been voted by the fans as the starting designated hitter for the American League All-Star team. This marks the fourth All-Star selection for Alvarez (2022-24, 2026) and the second time that he has been voted as a starter (also in 2024).
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid first half to his season, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.056), OBP (.426), SLG (.630), and total bases (208). Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in extra-base hits (45), first in HR (29), first in hits (105), first in runs (62), first in RBI (67), first in batting average (.318), and fourth in walks (59).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Announced yesterday, DH Yordan Alvarez was named the American League Player of the Week for the week of June 29-July 5. For the week, Alvarez hit .435 in six games with four home runs and 11 RBI while posting a 1.418 OPS. This marks the sixth career AL Player of the Week Award for Alvarez and his third this season.
GOING FOR 200: 1B Christian Walker hit his 199th career double last night, needing just one double to reach 200 for his career. Walker is also in pursuit of his 200th career homer, as he checks in with 194 career long balls entering play tonight.
OUT ON ASSIGNMENT: The Astros have five players out on minor league rehab assignments:
• RHP Ronel Blanco (rt. elbow surgery) will pitch in relief tonight at Triple A Sugar Land. He last started last Wednesday for Double A Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas (2ER/4.1IP), tossing 60 pitches (45 strikes).
• RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (rt. shoulder inflammation) will start tonight for Sugar Land in front of Blanco. McCullers last started last Wednesday for Sugar Land (1ER/4IP), tossing 60 pitches (41 strikes).
• LHP Bennett Sousa (lt. elbow inflammation) began a rehab assignment at Sugar Land on Sunday, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning on 10 pitches with one strikeout.
• RHP Hayden Wesneski (rt. elbow surgery) made a rehab start for Corpus Christi on Sunday, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts while tossing 46 pitches (29 strikes).
• SS Jeremy Pena (lt. calf strain) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Sugar Land tonight.
MINOR LEAGUE HONORS: The Astros had a pair of minor leaguers earn league honors yesterday in RHP Ethan Pecko and IF Waner Luciano.
Pecko, the Astros No. 6 prospect in their system per MiLB. com, was named the Triple A Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month for June, while Luciano was named the Class A Carolina League Player of the Week (June 29-July 5).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1985 – The Astros and Expos play a 19-inning game at the Astrodome, which ends as a 6-3 loss for the Astros. The game is the third-longest game in team history for both franchises. The game lasts a tidy five hours and 12 minutes.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, July 6, 5:45 p.m. CT
Location: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
